1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a silicone composition which rapidly cures when exposed to ultraviolet radiation (UV).
2. Description of the Prior Art
UV curable silicone compositions are known in the art. Silicone compositions which can be cured by exposure to UV radiation include two types of curing reactions. One such reaction is a reaction of an alkenyl-containing polyorganosiloxane with an organosiloxane containing silicon-bonded hydrogen atoms in the presence of a UV photoinitiator. Another such reaction is a reaction of an alkenyl-containing polyorganosiloxane with a mercapto functional polyorganosiloxane in the presence of a UV photoinitiator.
One use of UV curable silicone compositions would be to coat optical fibers. The optical fiber industry appears to desire coatings which can be applied from one package, storage stable compositions which rapidly cure upon exposure to UV radiation to give a coating with a predetermined refractive index. Making such compositions is a challenge because getting one property into an acceptable range frequently causes another property to become unacceptable. An object of this invention is to provide a composition which meets the accepted and desired property profile as stated above.